THE TRIMURTI (Hindu Trinity):		SHAKTIS (female aspects):
Click photo to enlarge	Brahma The Creator Vehicle: swan has 4 heads, 4 arms, and a reddish complexion not commonly worshipped not to be confused with Brahman (the ground of all being) or the Brahmin (priestly caste)	Saraswati Goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts Vehicle: swan wife of Brahma sits on a white lotus playing a veena	Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge	Vishnu The Preserver Vehicle: garuda (bird) has 4 arms, a blueish complexion, and rests on a snake was incarnated (born as an animal or human) nine times with one more still to come is the main god of Vaishnavism	Lakshmi Goddess of wealth and prosperity Vehicle: owl wife of Vishnu usually shown bestowing coins and flanked by elephants	Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge	Shiva The Destroyer / Transformer Vehicle: bull has matted hair, a third eye, a blue throat and a trident in his hand often worshipped in the featureless lingam form is the main god of Saivism	Parvati The Divine Mother Vehicle: lion the reincarnation of Shiva's first wife has many forms, such as the popular Durga and Kali (see below); often shown together with Saraswati and Lakshmi as the tridevi ('triple goddess')	Click photo to enlarge

OTHER POPULAR HINDU GODS
Click photo to enlarge	Ganesh God of the intellect and the remover of obstacles Vehicle: mouse son of Shiva & Parvati has an elephant's head	Murugan God of war Vehicle: peacock son of Shiva & Parvati popular in Tamil areas also known as Skanda	Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge	Durga A fiercer form of Parvati Vehicle: tiger has ten arms holding many weapons	Kali Goddess of time and death Vehicle: donkey usually portrayed as dark and violent	Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge	Rama The 7th avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu the central figure in the epic storyRamayana	Krishna The 8th avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu usually portrayed as a child and a prankster; often shown playing the flute	Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge	Hanuman an ape-like god known for assisting Rama	Surya God of the Sun pulled on a chariot by horses	Click photo to enlarge